Supplycompass Insights

What is a tech pack and why is it important for fashion brands?

What is a tech pack?

1 June 2018

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A Supplycompass manufacturer working from a tech pack

What is a Tech Pack?

A tech pack is a document containing all the technical information about your product. It's an essential document for designers and production teams when producing new collections as it helps clearly communicate every detail to your manufacturer.

Many designers, however, often overlook or rush through this document dismissing it as unimportant, leading to communication breakdowns further down the line and avoidable costly mistakes and delays. Read on to find out exactly why this pack is so important and what you need to include. To create your own tech packs for free, sign up to Supplycompass and create them online in minutes.

Paper patterns

What can a tech pack be used for?

1. Quotes

If you send a comprehensive tech pack along with a request for initial quote, your manufacturer will be able to cost more accurately and quickly; which means fewer surprises and more control over cash flow.

2. Communication

Tech packs make communication between you and your manufacturer easier and clearer, reducing misunderstandings and mistakes. They are even more important when manufacturing abroad, across time zones and cultures.

3. Production manual

Usually you have a single point of contact at a factory who looks after the entirety of your order; from designing, sourcing, sampling and production. However, during this process, your product passes through many different people and departments within the factory and they all need to be working from the same document as each other. Revisions and details will inevitably get lost or misinterpreted if not all in the same document, so your tech pack essentially becomes an instruction manual bringing clarity, consistency and cohesion throughout the production process.

4. Contract

Your tech pack acts as a contract between you and your manufacturer and is signed off by you alongside your pre-production samples.

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Why is a tech pack so important?

Reduces mistakes

You can ensure that the garment you have designed is made to your exact specification whilst also reducing the risk of costly mistakes. Your clothing manufacturer will be able to use all the technical drawings, measurements and details of components that you provide to accurately replicate your design. In this way, it reduces the risk that a mistake will happen during sampling and bulk production.

Improves relationships

They improve your working relationship with your manufacturer and pave the way for a strong relationship in the future. You will come across as a well run business who will make their lives easier too.

Controls costs

A well-thought-out tech pack helps make sure that your costings are accurate early on. Using your tech pack, your manufacturer can also break down your costs into materials, component and labour costs. All of this information helps you work out margins and identify whether you need to make fundamental changes to your collection before you begin pattern making, sourcing and sampling.

Reduces lead times and avoids delays.

A design that comes with a detailed pack shortens sampling lead times, avoids mistakes and ultimately helps you bring your product to market quicker. It also helps the factory effectively plan the man power and resources needed, and block out production capacity well ahead of time.

Saves time with future collections

A tech pack can be referred back to at any time. Next collection you might want to make slight changes to certain elements of your product. If you create good tech packs, you can go back and reuse last season's and easily make changes.

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What does a good tech pack look like?

A tech pack should be concise but comprehensive. At Supplycompass, we've created our digital tech packs with both brands and manufacturers in mind. They are designed to include everything a manufacturer needs and to make it easier and quicker for designers and production teams to create and modify.

A table indicating the quantities you are looking for and the size split.

Materials

Include information on each key raw material that makes up your product. Indicate the name, colour, composition, weight, finish, and a nominated supplier if you have one.

Digital Supplycompass tech pack : Material & Component cards

Components

Include information on each component that makes up your product. Attachments, prints, labels, trims, fastenings and embellishments. Indicate the name, colour, composition, weight, finish, and a nominated supplier if you have one.

Digital Supplycompass tech pack : Brand Label

Dimensions

Upload annotated technical drawings and fill in the table with all product dimensions and the size and placement of each component. In Supplycompass tech packs, if you don't have patterns or grading, you can indicate that you want your manufacturer to create patterns & grade for you.

Digital Supplycompass tech pack : annotated technical drawings

Digital Supplycompass tech pack : Care Label

Order details

Indicate desired delivery date, bulk production delivery address and details on how you want your products packaged and packed.

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Creating a tech-pack might seem a time-consuming process but it really will pay dividends in the long-term.

Supplycompass is a B2B platform that enables international brands and manufacturers to find each other and work together. Our online tech pack creator is designed to bring greater standardisation, clarity and consistency to tech packs; improving communication between brand and manufacturer and making it easier and quick for designers to bring collections to life.

Explore the Supplycompass tech pack creator for free by signing up to Supplycompass today. It's free.